University of Arkansas forward Justin Smith surpassed a big career milestone on Saturday while leading the Razorbacks in scoring in an 86-81 win over Missouri at Mizzou Arena.
Smith joined the career 1,000-point club with 5:05 left in the first half when he made the first of two free throws. The 6-7 senior scored 19 points on 6-of-10 shooting, including 1 of 3 from three-point range and 6 of 7 from the free throw line.
“He just came back with a vengeance this time,” Arkansas guard Moses Moody said, referencing the fact Smith missed the Razorbacks’ 81-68 loss to the Tigers on Jan. 2. “He had a different look in his eye and he was determined to get us this Quad 1 win, and that’s what we did.”
Smith also contributed 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals and had a couple of momentum-building lob dunks.
“Obviously Justin Smith was just absolutely incredible tonight on both sides of the basketball, passing the ball, defensively, rebounding, scoring it,” Arkansas Coach Eric Musselman said.
Smith entered the game with 999 points, scoring 821 points during his career at Indiana. He bumped his career total to 1,018 points and became the fourth Razorback transfer to eclipse the 1,000-point barrier this season.
Vance Jackson did it in the season opener against Mississippi Valley State and the duo of JD Notae and Jalen Tate surpassed it in the Razorbacks’ 100-75 win over the University of Central Arkansas.
Clean block
Jalen Tate’s block on a driving layup try by Dru Smith turned into one of the game’s most pivotal plays. The block was originally called goal-tending by official Wil Howard, which would’ve given Missouri an 83-82 lead, but head referee Joe Lindsey stopped the clock with 18 seconds remaining to review the call.
During the timeout, Tate let everyone know the block was clean
“He came over, I was trying to give the guys some direction on what we wanted to do, whether it counted or didn’t,” Coach Eric Musselman said. “He kept saying, ‘I blocked it clean, Coach. Don’t worry about that. I did not goal tend that shot.’ And that allowed us to try to get semi-organized.”
Lindsey did over-rule the call. However, even though Arkansas guard Desi Sills clearly secured the loose ball, the Tigers were awarded the ball due to the possession arrow pointing in their favor.
The Razorbacks came up with another big defensive play, deflecting the ball away from Smith and Moses Moody winding up with the loose ball with 12 seconds left.
Line games
Arkansas went 20 of 23 from the free throw line for 87% and sealed the win with clutch work from the stripe down the stretch.
The Razorbacks went 13 of 15 from the stripe in the second half and overtime. Moses Moody was 6 of 6 from the line and converted two sets of two-shot fouls in the final 1:17 of overtime, including a pair with 12 seconds left.
“Moses is an incredible player,” Coach Eric Musselman said. “He continues to grow and he continues to gain confidence.”
Davonte Davis and Desi Sills both went 2 of 2 from the line, while Justin Smith was 6 of 7.
Missouri made 14 of 21 free throws (66.7%) but went just 1 for 2 in the second half prior to overtime.
OT data
Arkansas had not played an overtime game since last year’s 83-79 loss at Missouri 370 days ago on Feb. 8.
The Razorbacks had lost their last three overtime games prior to beating the Tigers. According to HogStats.com, Arkansas is now 17-22 in road overtime games since 1970.
Thanks guys
Justin Smith went high on the left baseline for a pair of easy dunks in the second half. Desi Sills drove to the free throw line heading left and sent a high lob to the far side of the rim. Smith ran the baseline, rose and slammed it through for a 60-54 Arkansas lead at the 9:44 mark.
With 3:15 remaining in overtime, the Razorbacks ran a back pick for Smith and Jalen Tate delivered a long-distance lob from beyond the three-point arc for another dunk to put Arkansas on top 77-75.
“I thought the baseline out of bounds lob play was crucial for us to get a basket at that juncture of the game, and kind of a momentum-swinging play,” Coach Eric Musselman said.
Smith shines
An Arkansan helped Missouri get out to a hot start and a 10-4 lead. Former Van Buren High standout Mitchell Smith sank a three-pointer to give the Tigers a 5-4 lead, then made another 87 seconds later to put his team ahead 10-4 at the 16:43 mark.
Smith entered the game 5 of 27 (18.5%) on three-point tries, including 3 of 18 (16.7%) in SEC play.
The 6-10 senior scored a huge basket, late in regulation with an offensive rebound and putback to draw the Tigers within 73-71 with 42 seconds to play. Smith fouled out in overtime with 8 points on 3-of-7 shooting and 7 rebounds.
Record 3s
Missouri went 13 of 32 (40.6%) from three-point range, marking the first time Arkansas has given up 13 or more made threes in consecutive games, according to HogStats.com. Kentucky made 14 of 26 three-pointers in the Hogs’ 81-80 road win on Tuesday.
Mitchell Smith wasn’t the only Tiger to contribute unexpectedly from three-point range.
Drew Buggs made his first three of the season, breaking an 0 for 10 stint, to tie the game 46-46 early in the second half.
Torrence Watson, who was 3 of 13 (23.1%) beyond the arc on the season, matched the production with a 3 of 5 showing. Some of Missouri’s top performers also delivered from three-point range, with Xavier Pinson going 5 of 8 and Dru Smith 2 of 4.
“We gave up a lot of threes early in the game that quite frankly we wanted them to shoot,” Coach Eric Musselman said. “Watson, we were going to live with Watson and Buggs and Mitchell Smith’s threes.”
Braun’s brawn
Missouri forward Parker Braun came up big in the final seconds of regulation. He cut into the lane, caught a Dru Smith feed and scored on a reverse layup to tie the game 73-73 with nine seconds remaining. On the other end, with Arkansas not calling a timeout, he blocked a Davonte Davis field goal try from the lane with about 2 seconds remaining.
Moody sits
Arkansas guard Moses Moody scored his team’s first seven points, but he was subbed out early after committing two fouls.
Moody opened the scoring with a short jumper in the paint 15 seconds in, then added a layup a minute later and hit a three-pointer at the 14:55 mark to cut the Arkansas deficit to 10-7.
However, Moody was whistled for a clear-out foul on the possession before his three-pointer, then got called for an illegal screen a minute later at 14:33.
He returned for a short stint later in the first half because Eric Musselman said he thought the Arkansas offense was not executing well.
8-0 runs
Missouri had a pair of 8-0 runs in the first half to help build a 35-31 lead at intermission.
The first spurt turned the Tigers’ 4-2 deficit into a 10-4 lead on Mitchell Smith’s second three-pointer of the day.
After Arkansas nearly caught up at 10-9 following a Desi Sills layup, the Tigers launched another 8-0 run, capped by three-pointers from Torrence Watson and Xavier Pinson.
Scrappy start
Both teams had five turnovers by the second media timeout at 11:35, with Missouri leading 10-9. At that point, the Tigers were 4 of 12 (33%) from the floor, while the Razorbacks were 4 of 11 (36%).
Arkansas held a 5-2 lead in points off turnovers, and the Tigers were winning the rebounding battle 9-6, including 2-0 in offensive boards.
FG funk
The Razorbacks went a stretch of almost five minutes without making a field goal late in the first half.
Following a made three-pointer by Jaylin Williams, which cut the Hogs’ deficit to 23-18 with 8:09 remaining, Arkansas went 0 for 7 over the next 4:55. Desi Sills broke the drought at the 3:14 mark with a driving bank shot, pulling Arkansas back within five points at 31-26.
Tip-ins
• Missouri forward Jeremiah Tilmon, who tore the Razorbacks up with a career-high 25 points and 11 rebounds in the Tigers’ 81-68 win on Jan. 2, did not play on Saturday due to a death in the family.
• Arkansas guard Davonte Davis got away with swatting the ball out of the hands of Dru Smith who was trying to inbound the ball with 4:28 remaining after Davis’ driving layup. The move can result in a technical foul.
• For the fifth consecutive year, the Tigers had a halftime ceremony to celebrate winning the Battle Line Trophy over Arkansas in football, based on Missouri’s 50-48 win.